Adsorption apparatus and method



June 11, 1940. v w. E. MOOREEI' AL 2,204,431

ADSORPTION APPARATUSAND llE Tl-IOD I Filed Feb. 14, 1936 s sums-sheet 1 1 11; 1940. WE. MOORE Em ,204,431

ADSORPTION APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Feb. 14, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 26 l i 1 28 Q I I i% i 1 Q i N 1 1 :Q

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354 George Lsz'mpson.

June 11, 1940. w. E. MOORE :1 AL.

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ABSORPTION APPARATUS AND METHOD williamlml'ittsburghandileorgela Simpson, (loraopo Research Pa amiguors to Pitts- Oorporatlon, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application Iebmary 14, 1936, Serial No. 83,986

'1'. cum.

This inventionrelates to improvements in adsorption apparatus of the type such as used for the conditioning of air, gas or other fluid, and

- is particularly well adapted for the drying or dehumidiflcation of air or gas, although not necessarily restricted to this use. f

An important use to which the present invention is applicable is'the removal or reduction of the moisture content of air in rooms or houses, or in the treatment or conditioning of air or gas for industrial purposes.

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of this-character which will handle a large volume of air, gas or other fluid and remove moisture-or other impurities therefrom.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a device of the above mentioned character which is continuous and automatic in operation, and which will give a continuous and uninterrupted flow of dried air or gas.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character'which is of simple and compact construction, which is inexpensive to construct and operate, and which is efllcient and certain in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and wherein like charracters of reference denote like partsthroughout,

Figure 'l is a side elevation of the valve re-' moved from its casing.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose oi illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral ll designates the easing of this apparatus which is oi metal and of generally rectangular shape, open at its top. An adsorbing unit is preferably removably arranged in the upper portion of the casing and rests on suitable brackets fl secured to the interior of the casing. The adsorbent unit or container consists of upper and lower plates or covers II, which may be lined with suitable insulating material ll, spaced apart by means of side wall plates is and secured together by suitable bolts or tie rods It. The side wall plates l are spaced from the walls of the casing i0 and this space is filled with a layer ll of suitable heat insulating material. The layer 01 is preferably carried by the adsorbent unit so as to be removable therewith, although it may obviously be secured to the casing l l if desired.

Central openings are provided in the covers or plates II to receive a cylindrical'valve casing or sleeve it which extends through the adsorber .unit and aboveand below the same. The valve sleeve I. is of large diameter and is secured in the adsorber unit by means oi suitable split clamping rings l9 welded or otherwise secured to the cover plates 13 throughout a portion of their circumference. Valve sleeve I8 is vertically arranged at the center of the adsorber unit and casing Ill.

A relatively thick horizontal layer of adsorbent material III is spaced equally from top and bottom cover plates I3 and extends ,from the side walls l5 of the adsorber unit to the valve sleeve l8, completely dividing the space within the adsorber unit. Fine mesh wire screen 2| covers the top and bottom of the layer of adsorbent to hold the adsorbent material together, and a heavy screen 22 'of larger mesh is arranged above and below the layer of adsorbent and welded to the side walls l5 and valve sleeve It to secure the layer of adsorbent in position.

It will be seen that the layer 2! of adsorbent material, which may be any suitable material such as alumina or the like, divides the adsorbent unit into an upper chamber 23 and slower cham-' ber 24. Suitable vertical metal partitions 25-extend between the cover plates l3 and between the side walls II and valve sleeve ll'to divide the adsorber. unit and adsorbent bed into sectors of equal area, as indicated in Figure 3. The sectors are shown as eight in number, for convenience of illustration, but may obviously be oi any number desired.

An exhaust chamber is formed by an inverted metal cover 21 secured to the outer edges of the lower plate It and extends the length and width of the adsorber unit, surrounding the lower 'end of the valve sleeve II which terminates immediately below the inverted cover 21.

The open top of easing I. is normally closed by a relatively deep cover section 28 which is provided with suitable clips or flanges I. or other fastening means to removably secure the cover section to the casing and form an air tight joint. A centrally arranged conduit 30 extends down snugly around the upper end of valve sleeve ll.

- A heater ii is arranged in the conduit 8|! to heat air for reactivating the adsorbent, and may be of any suitable typesuch as an electrical resistance heater, a gas, steam or oil heater. .The top of cover section 28 is lined on its under side with suitable heat insulating material 32 which extends down the walls of conduit 30 as seen in Figures 1 and 4. A small tube or conduit 33 opens lower plenum chamber 31 in which the fan motor and fans are located. The fan motor II is arranged centrally of the chamber 31 and an intake blower or fan 30 and an exhaust blower or fan I. are arranged at either end.of motor 38 and are driven thereby. The blowers are preferably the axial intake,perlpheral exhaust type. An inlet conduit ll extends from a point outside of the casing II to the axial intake of the blower 39, the blower exhausting into the lower plenum chamber 31 which is filled with air or gas under pressure of blower 39. A conduit 42 connects the interior or exhaust chamber II with the intake oi! exhaust blower 4| which exhausts into conduit ll extending out of the cusing II. A door I is removably secured to an opening in casing l0 and may be removed to give access to the plenum chamber 31 and the blowers and motor.

Valve sleeve It is provided with large substantially semi-circular ports ll adjacent its top which open into the cover section 28 the interior of whichv forms an upper plenum chamber. and the open top 01', the sleeve communicates with the interior of conduit II. The lower end otthe valve sleeve is provided with similar ports It which open into the exhaust chamber II. The connections between valve sleeve II and conduit ll, plates ll, beds II and inverted cover 21 are air tight.

The valve sleeve is provided with an annular series of ports 41 of a number corresponding to the number of adsorbing sectors, each port 41 opening into one of the sectors above the adsorbent beds 20, as seen in Figure 3. A similar annular seriesotportsll openintothesectorsbelow the adsorbent beds II, as indicated in Figure 5. The lower end of the valve sleeve opens into lower plenum chamber 31.

A rotary, tubular valve body 4! iits snugly within the valve sleeve or casing II and is provided with a vertical central web or partition ll dividing the valve body vertically into halves. A

horizontal partition 8|v completely blocks the interior oi the valve body at the central portion thereof, at a point which coincides with the center of the adsorbent beds II.

Theadsorblng side of the valve body is closed at its top by 1. semi-circular horizontal web 52 extending from the vertical partition II to the side walls 01' the valve 40', while the opposite or reactivating side-oi the valve is closed at its lower end by a horizontal web 53. as shown in Figures 1 and '7. A vertical radial partition 54 extends from the vertical partition II to the out- I er wall of the valve from the lower web 53 to into the cover section centrally thereof and tits the central horizontal partition SI, and when eight sectors are employed, the radial partition will extend at an angle of 45 from the partition SI to form a purging duct in the lower half of the valve, the upper end of which is closed by partition ii, and the lower end of which opens into lower plenum chamber 31 By reference to Figures 1, 4, 5 and 6 it will be seen that in a unit having eight sectors, the lower portion of the valve is divided into three chambers or ducts, namely an adsorbent duct extending through an arc of 180", a reactivating duct extending through an arc of 135, and a purging duct extending through an arc of 45. The lower adsorbent and purging ducts are open at their lower ends and closed at their upper ends while the lower reactivatlng duct is closed at top and bottom. The upper half of the valve is divided into two ducts or chambers of 180 each, the adsorbent duct being closed at its top while the reactivating duct is open at its top.

communicating with conduit-ll.

' of the upper portions of the adsorbent sectors to the upper plenum chamber. The reactivating side oi the valve is provided with a port 56 extending from the top to the bottom of upper casing ports 41 and through an arc of substantially 180. The upper adsorbent duct is at all times in communication with the upper plenum chamber and out of communication with conduit ll while the upper reactivating duct is at all times in communication with conduit 30 and out git communication with the upper plenum cham- The lower adsorbent duct is provided with a port I! extending from the top to the bottom of lower casing ports I and through an arc .-of substantiailylllfl", while the nursing duct is ber 28 while the lower reactivating duct is at all times in communication with exhaust chamber 26 and out of communication with lower plenum chamber 31.

The valve ll is provided with a depending centrally arranged stub shaft I which fits into a hollow sleeve ll carried by asuppor't I straddling the blower motor 38 and secured to the bottom of casing II. A suitable bearing, such as a freely rotating ball 03, is arranged in the sleeve I and supports the shaft 0, permitting rotation thereof. A relatively large gear wheel 64 is removably mounted on shaft II to turn therewith, and engages a pinion ll rotated by a small electric motor 08 mounted on support 2. I A small cooling tan .1 may be operated by motor II to cool the motor.

In operation, motor II operates blowers I! and II and valve motor 00 rotates valve 4! at a slow -the reactlvatlng phase for six minutes'and the rate of speed. Air or other gas or fluid is drawn in through inlet ll from some suitable source such as the room in which the apparatus is located, and forced into plenum chamber 31 under pressure of intakeblower 3!. Air under pressure of blower 39 passes into the open lower end of the, lower adsorbent duct and through valve port 51 and casing ports 48 into the lower chambers M of four of the sectors, passing through the adsorbent beds therein which remove all moisture from the air, and out through casing ports 41 and valve port 55 into the upperplenum chamber. The heat of adsorbtion is removed by cooler 35 as the dried air passes out through the outlet 3i.

The exhaust blower 40 draws air from the room or other source down through conduit where it is heated by heater 3i. into the upper valve port 59 into exhaust chamber 28 where is passes through conduit 42 to. outlet 43 which discharges the reactivating air exteriorly of the room, or anywhere desired.

Purging air enters the lower end of the purgingvalve duct from lower plenum chamber 31 and passes through valve port 58 and one of the casing ports it into one of the sectors, through the bed 20 of adsorbent material therein and through one of the upper casing ports 41 into the upper reactivating duct'where it joins the heated reactivating air, and is then used in reactivating, thereby utilizing the heat taken up by the purging air.

The valve partitions 50, SI and 54 may be lined with some suitable heat insulating material such as asbestos to prevent transfer of heat from one duct to either of the other ducts, and suita ble rings 68 of packing maybe provided on the surface of valve 49 to prevent the passage of air.

The passage of air through the valve and adsorbent unit will beclear'from an inspection of Figures 5 and "I. In Figure 7 the path of the air to be dried is indicated by arrows 69, while the path of the purging air is shown by arrows I0 andthe path of the reactivating air is shown by arrows II. It will be noted that the air to be dried and the purging air is taken from the same source and passes upwardly through the unit. The reactivating air passes downwardly through the unit, and the purging air joins the reactivating air in the upper reactivating duct and then reverses its direction and passes downward with the reactivating air. The air to be dried gives up its moisture to the adsorbent beds, and is then cooledand passed through outlet 36. As each bed nears the point of saturation, it goes into the reactivating phase of operation in which heatedair removes the contained moisture and reactivates the adsorbent bed. At the end of the reactivating phase, the adsorbent bed is cooled by the purging air and vapors or products of combustion, when oil or gas heaters are used,

are removed by the purging air.

The 'casing ports and valve ports are so spaced that as the sectors pass from-adsorbing to re-' activating to purging, there is no overlapping of operations and no admixture of the air from the different phases of operat n. The'valve is rotated at the desired speed by the motor 68. As.-

suming a speedof one complete revolution in sixteen minutes, and eight unit sectors, each sector is in the adsorbing phase, for eight-minutes,

purgin'g phase for two minutes. The valve is rotated continuously, and every two minutes one sectorispickedupandone sector droppedby the adsorbing phase, one sector is picked up and one dropped by the reactivating phase, and the sector just purged is the one picked up by the adsorbing phase while the sector just dropped by the reactivating phase is the sector'to be purged for the next two minutes.

The operation is continuous, the "only moving parts being the blowers and the valve' which operate continuously. The heater operates continuously, thereby dispensing with complicated timing apparatus. A continuous flow of dried air issues from outlet ii. The adsorbing operation generates heat which is removed from the dried air by cooler 35. Due to the fact that the air entering the upper plenum chamber is a mixture from four sectors in different stages of the adsorbent phase, the temperature of the air in the upper plenum chamber is the average of the temperature of the air in the four sectors and is therefore much lower than the peak temperature attained near the end of the adsorbent phase in any one of the sectors. Consequently, I

with the peak temperature attained in the sectors An important feature of the present invention is the'fact that the streams of air for adsorbin reactivating and purging are continuous and uninterrupted. The air for purging passes through the unit in the same direction as the air for adsorbing and does not come into contact with the parts heated by the reactivating air. The operation of the blowers and heater is continuous and. uninterrupted, the valve operation is also continuous and timed to move each sector into reactivation as its bed becomessaturated. The apparatus is compact and,- due to the absence of many moving parts and timing and regulating devices, may be made very cheaply.

' The parts are accessible through the casing cover section! and door 44, and the entire adsorbing unit can be removed for inspection, repairs or atmospheric air and consequently contains moisture. As it enters and cools the adsorbent bed, the adsorbent will extract some of the moistureflat the point of entrance of the purging air.

If the air to be driedwere passed through the beds in the opposite direction from that of the purging air, it would pickup some of this moisture as it left the bed, and as a consequence the air leaving the apparatus would not be so dry asair which left the bed through adsorbent in which no moisture had been left by the purging air. By passing the air to be dried throughthe adsorbent beds in the same direction as that taken by the purging air, the dried air leaves the adsorbent through the portionof the bed in which no moisture has been left by the purging air.

The invention has been shown as having eight sectors for the purpom of illustration only, and

- any other desired number ofsectors may be employed. While the invention is particularly well adapted to the conditioning or de-humidiflcation While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope oi the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In an adsorbent apparatus, a casing, an adsorbent unit arranged in said casing and comprising a plurality of adsorbent beds, said casing having a lower plenum chamber below the adsorbent unit and an upper plenum chamber above the adsorbent unit, a valve casing in said unit in communication with each of the adsorbent beds, said valve casing being in communication with both plenum chambers, a reactivating fluid inlet conduit in communication with the valve casing and out of communication with the plenum chambers, a reactivating fluid outlet conduit connecting the valve casing with the exterior of the casing and being out of communication with the plenum chambers, a valve in said valve casing having an adsorbing duct connecting the plenum y chambers through a plurality of the adsorbent beds, said valve having a reactivating duct connecting thereactivating fluid inlet conduit with the reactivating fluid outlet conduit through other of I said adsorbent beds, means to pass fluid through the adsorbing valve duct, means to pass a reactivating fluid through the reactivating valve duct, and means to operate said valve to successively add adsorbent beds to the adsorbent phase of operation while dropping other adsorbent beds therefrom, and to add adsorbent beds to the reactivating phase of operation while dropping other adsorbent beds therefrom. 2. In an adsorbent apparatus, a casing, an adsorbent unit arranged in said casing and comprising a plurality of adsorbent beds, said casing having a lower plenum chamber below the adsorbent unit and an upper plenum chamber above the adsorbent unit, a valve casing in said unitin communication with each of the adsorbent beds, said valve casing being in communication with both plenum chambers, a reactivating fluid inlet conduit in communication with the valve casing and out of communication with the plenum chambers, a reactivating fluid outlet conduit connecting the valve casing with the exterior of the casing and being out of communication with the plenum chambers, a valve in said valve casing having an adsorbing duct connecting the plenum chambers through a plurality of the adsorbent beds, said valve having a reactivating duct .connecting the reactivating fluid inlet conduit with the reactivating fluid outlet conduit through other of said adsorbent beds, means to pass fluid through the adsorbing valve duct, means to pass a reactivating fluid through the reactivating valve duct, and means to operate said valve to successively add adsorbent beds to the adsorbent phase of operation while dropping other adsorbent beds therefrom, and to add adsorbent beds to the reactivating phase of operation while dropping other adsorbent beds therefrom, said valve having a purging duct connecting one of the plenum chambers to the reactivating duct through one of the adsorbent beds.

3. In an adsorbent apparatus, a casing, an adsorbent unit arranged in said casing and comprising a plurality of adsorbentbeds, said casing having a lower plenum chamber below the adsorbent unit and an upper plenum chamber above the adsorbent unit, a valve casing in said unit in communication with each of the adsorbent beds, said valve casing being in communication with both plenum chambers, a reactivating fluid necting the valve casing with the exterior of the casing and belng'out of communication with the plenum chambers, a valve in said valve casing having an adsorbing duct connecting the plenum chambers through a plurality oi. the adsorbent beds, said valve having a reactivating duct connecting the reactivating fluid inlet conduit with the reactivating fluid outlet conduit through other of said adsorbent beds, means to pass fluid through the adsorbing valve duct, means to pass a reactivating fluid through the reactivating valve duct, means to operate said valve to successively add adsorbent beds to the adsorbent phase of operation while dropping other adsorbent beds therefrom, and to add adsorbent beds to the reactivating phase of operation while dropping other adsorbent beds therefrom, means to cool the fluid issuing from the adsorbing valve duct, and means to heat the fluid entering the reactivating inlet conduit.

4. In an adsorbent apparatus, a casing having a fluid inlet anda reactivating fluid outlet, an adsorbent unit arranged therein and comprising a plurality oi beds oi adsorbent material, said unit being spaced from the bottom of the casing to form a lower plenum chamber, said casing extending above the adsorbent unit to form an upper plenum chamber, an intake blower adapted to force fluid under pressure into one of said plenum chambers, a valve casing extending between said beds of adsorbent material and comchambers, a reactivating fluid conduit communieating with said valve casing, a reactivating blower connected to said valve casing, a valve arranged in said valve casing and having ducts and ports to connect the plenum chambers through a plurality of the adsorbent beds and to connect the reactivating fluid conduit to the, casing reactivating fluid outlet through a plurality oi the adsorbent beds, and means to rotate the valve.

5. In an adsorbent apparatus, a casing having a fluid inlet and a reactivating fluid outlet, an adsorbent unit arranged therein and comprising a plurality of-beds of adsorbent material, said unit being spaced from the bottom oi! the casing to form a lower plenum chamber, said casing extending above the adsorbent unit to form an upper plenum chamber, an intake blower adapted to force fluid under pressure into one of said ple num chambers, a valve casing extending between said beds of adsorbent material and communicating therewith and with said plenum chambers, a reactivating fluid conduit communicating with said valve casing, a, reactivating blower connected to said valve casing, a valve arranged in said valve casing and having ducts and ports to connect the plenum chambers through a plurality of the adsorbent beds and'to connect the reactivating fluid conduit to the casing reactivating fluid outlet through a plurality of the adsorbent beds, means to rotate the valve, the rotation of said valve being continuous, and a continuously operated heater in the reactivatina fluid conduit.

6. In an adsorbent apparatus, a casing, an

adsorbent unit arranged in said casing and comabove the adsorbent unit, a valve casing extending completely through the adsorbent unit and communicating with each of the adsorbent beds and with both plenum chambers, a reactivating fluid inlet conduit in communication with the valve casing and out of communication with the plenum chambers, a reactivating fluid outlet con-1 duit connecting the valve casing with the exterior of the casing and being out of communication with the plenum chambers, a valve in said valve casing having an adsorbing duct connecting the plenum chambers through aplurality of the adsorbent beds, said valve having a reactivating duct connecting the reactivating fluid inlet conduit with the reactivating fluid outlet conduit through other of said adsorbent beds, and said valve having a purging duct connecting one of the plenum chambers to the reactivating duct through one of the adsorbing beds, means to force fluid in the last named plenumchamber and through the adsorbing and purging ducts, means to pass a reactivating fluid through the reactivating ducts, and means to operate said valve to successively add adsorbentbeds to the adsorbent phase, of operation while dropping other adsorbent beds therefrom, and toadd. adsorbent beds to the. reactivating phase of operation while dropping other adsorbent beds therefrom. 7. In an adsorbent apparatus having a plurality of stationary beds of adsorbent material disposed about a substantially central duct and communicating therewith, there being arotatable valve mechanism in said duct, the method of adsorbing and reactivating which comprises forcing a fluid to be treated under pressure through said duct and valve mechanism, and drawing a stream of reactivating fluid by suction through said duct and valve mechanism, whereby any leakage of fluid will be fromthe fluid to be treated to the stream of reactivating fluid.

8. An adsorbent apparatus comprising a stationary casing, a pipe extending longitudinally through the casing substantially centrally thereof, partitions extending radially from said pipe to said casing and dividing the casing into a plurality of sectors, a bed of adsorbent material in each sector connecting the pipe and casing between the partitions, said pipe having slots disposed between adjacent partitions on each side of the adsorbent beds to connect the-interior of the pipe with each sector on both sides of the adsorbent beds, a valve mechanism arranged in the pipe and comprising a transverse partition of, partitions extending plurality of sectors, 'in each sector connecting the pipe and easing between the partitions, said pipe having slots disposed in alignment with the adsorbent beds and a longitudinal partition, means to pass a stream of fluid to be treated through. the pipe and adsorbent beds on one side of the longitudinal partition, means to pass a reactivating fluid through the pipe and adsorbent beds on the other side of the longitudinal partition, and

means to rotate the valve mechanism.

9. An adsorbent apparatus comprising a stationary casing, a pipe extending longitudinally through the casing substantially centrally there-- radially. from said pipe to said casing and dividing the easing into a a bed of adsorbent material disposed between adjacent partitions on each side of the adsorbent beds to connect the interior of the pipewith adsorbent beds, a valve mechanism arranged in the pipe and comprising. a transverse partition disposed in alignment with the adsorbent beds and a longitudinal partition, means to force a fluid under pressure through the pipe and adsorbent beds on one side of the, longitudinal partition, means to draw a reactivating fluid by suction through, the, pipe and adsorbent beds on the other side of said longitudinal partition, and means to rotate said valve mechanism.

10. An adsorbent apparatus comprising a stationary casing, a pipe extending longitudinally through ,the casing substantially centrally thereof, partitions extending radiallyfrom said pipe to said casing and dividing the casing into a plurality of sectors, a bed of adsorbentmaterial in each sector connecting the pipe and easing between the partitions, said pipe having. slots disposed between adjacent partitions on each side of the adsorbent beds to connect the interior of the pipe with each sector on both sides of the adsorbent beds, a valve mechanism arranged in the pipe and comprising a transverse partition disposed in alignment. with the adsorbent beds and-a longitudinal partition, a stationary chamber in communication with the pipe on one side of the longitudinal partition and connected to a source of fluid supply, a stationary reactivating fluid duct in communication with the pipe on the each sector on both sides of .the 

